Robots, such as Audio-Animatronics by Walt Disney, Co., are used at theme parks, restaurants, movies, and so on. Many robots may be configured to replicate a person, character, animal, or the like. Often, movable robots may be used as an interactive display for people at a theme park, where the movable robots may have articulable elements, such as arms, that move, and may employ sound, such as talking. As another example, robots may be used to create life-like characters for films or television shows.
Some robots or movable mannequins may include a “skin” or outer cosmetic layer configured to replicate a particular character, animal, person, or the like. As a specific example, a robot may include skin, clothing, hair, and the like to replicate a character from a movie, book, or television show. Often, the skin or clothing may be attached to or form a structure that provides the “skeleton” or frame for the robot. The frame or substrate may also include movable joints to allow selective movement of the robot. For example, the robot may have a mouth that moves up and down while an audio recording is played to simulate that the robot is speaking. The skin or cosmetic outer structure may be dimensioned to accommodate the movement range of the robot. As an example, a knee joint for a robot may include a sufficient length of skin so that the skin will allow the leg to extend and retract at the knee joint. However, often this excess skin or material may appear “loose” or baggy in certain positions. This excess skin may detract from the appearance of the robot, may reduce the similarity of the robot and the desired character or person the robot is designed to replicate, and may also hinder movement of the robot. Additionally, the excess skin may become caught in between the joints, preventing movement or limiting the range of movement of the robot.